FCS 4845

1
FCS 4845

• Friendship, Intimacy, and Singlehood

2
Friends Versus Lovers

• What are some important differences/similarities
  between friends and lovers?

3
Cont.

• Love and friendship are alike in many ways, but
  there are crucial differences
• Love has higher levels of fascination,
  exclusiveness, sexual desire
• Love relationships carry greater potential for
  distress, ambivalence, conflict, and mutual
  criticism
• Love runs deeper and stronger

4
Cont.

• Strongest love relationships have roots in
  friendship
• In looking for a partner, love is by far the most
  common factor individuals cite

5
The Love Triangle

• Love Triangle Robert Sternberg 3 dimensions
• 1. Commitment - cognitive component
• 2. Intimacy - emotional component
• 3. Passion - motivational component

6
Cont.

• Using these three dimensions of love in various
  combos 8 types of love relations
• Non-love, liking, infatuation, empty love,
  romantic love, fatuous love, companionate love,
  and consummate love

7
Three perspectives on love

• Erich Fromm -too many people think that love is
  simple
• Stanton Peele - many people in love are
  addicted to love
• James Dobson - demonstrating some independence
  from the relationship can strengthen it

8
Exploring Intimacy From Experience to
Relationship

• Intimacy versus isolation
• Intimacy and communication
• Intimate experiences versus an intimate
  relationship
• The paradox of marriage and intimacy

9
Developing Intimacy

• Traits of intimate and non-intimate relationships
• Ten essential relationship strengths

10
Intimacy Games

• Destructive intimacy games - 1. I Dont CareYou
  Decide 2. The Ties That Bind
• Limiting destructive games - Zero-Sum What I win
  will be your loss. My gains minus your losses
  sum to zero.

11
Being Single

• Pros/Cons of being single?
• Can singles be as happy as married couples?
• Increasing singlehood
• Characteristics of successful singles - tend to
  be highly educated and achievement oriented